Paul Dewar

Infobox CanadianMP | name=Paul W. Dewar


term_start=2006 election
term_end=
predecessor= Ed Broadbent
birth_date= birth date and age |1963|01|25
birth_place= Ottawa, Ontario
successor=
death_date=
death_place=
profession= Labour and social activist, teacher, union officer
party=New Democratic Party
party colour=NDP
residence=Ottawa
riding=Ottawa Centre
footnotes=
term_start2=
term_end2=
predecessor2=
successor2=
spouse=Julia Sneyd
religion=United Church of Canada|

Paul W. Dewar (born January 25, 1963 in Ottawa, Ontario) is a Canadian NDP Member of Parliament, teacher and former elected representative of the Ottawa Carleton Elementary School Teachers' Federation. In the 2006 federal election, Dewar defeated the Liberal candidate, lawyer Richard Mahoney, by over 5,000 votes in Ottawa Centre, an urban riding in Ontario.

The son of former Ottawa mayor, Marion Dewar, Paul Dewar won the New Democratic Party (NDP) nomination in Ottawa Centre on June 22, 2005. The Ottawa Centre riding had been held by the NDP's Ed Broadbent who did not seek re-election so he could care for his ailing wife. Dewar defeated 1997 Ottawa Centre candidate Jamey Heath, lawyer Tiffani Murray and "Ottawa Citizen" columnist Shannon Lee Mannion for the nomination on the first ballot.

Dewar had previously run for the NDP federal nomination in Ottawa Centre in 2004, losing to Broadbent [cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2004/01/20/broadbent040129.html|publisher=CBC News|title=Broadbent wins Ottawa Centre nomination|date=21 Jan 2004] . Dewar proceeded to volunteer on Broadbent's successful 2004 election campaign, playing a major role in organizing the NDP election day effort.

Dewar earned a Bachelor of Education degree from Queen's University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Carleton University in political science and economics. Dewar was employed as constituency assistant to Evelyn Gigantes, when she was Ottawa Centre NDP Member of Provincial Parliament from 1990 to 1995.

Prior to entering politics, Dewar taught at D. Roy Kennedy Elementary School and Hopewell Elementary School. He won the A. Lorne Cassidy Award for work with children with special needs. Dewar was also the Vice President of the Ottawa Carleton Elementary School Teachers' Federation and helped establish the teachers' Humanity Fund, providing donations to projects in developing countries. Dewar is married to Julia Sneyd who is also a teacher. They have two children.

In 2002, Dewar organized a Community Forum on Public Education. He was actively involved with the Coalition for a Healthy Ottawa and the Partnership for a Pesticide Bylaw. He served on the board of the Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization and is active with the First United Church, Old Ottawa East Community Association and Fair Vote Canada.

Dewar was acclaimed on February 12, 2007 for the Ottawa Centre NDP's nomination for the upcoming federal election.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.pauldewar.ca/ Website]
* [http://www.ndp.ca/pauldewar Biography on NDP web site]
* [http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=86dd8955-957c-4ff9-9a81-76305a0f26ac&Language=E&Section=FederalExperience Parliament webpage]
* [http://ottawacentre.org/ Riding Association]